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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/22402279">The Ladylike Arts of Breaking and Entering</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Flynne/pseuds/Flynne'>Flynne</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Dragon Age: Inquisition</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>F/M, Fluff and silliness, Sneaking</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-01-25</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-01-25</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-18 02:47:14</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,092</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/22402279</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Flynne/pseuds/Flynne</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Cullen has a long, cold walk back to his quarters after losing at Wicked Grace. Luckily, the Inquisitor has his back. Or, well. His backside.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Cullen Rutherford/Female Trevelyan, Female Inquisitor/Cullen Rutherford</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>58</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>The Ladylike Arts of Breaking and Entering</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>“You know,” Felicity said, “I don’t think it’s unreasonable to expect a </span>
  <em>
    <span>thank you</span>
  </em>
  <span>.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“‘Thank you’?” Cullen echoed incredulously, only barely remembering to keep his voice low. He wedged himself further between her and the wall. “Need I remind you that you were the one who took my shirt?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“You’ve got it back now, don’t you? I lost twenty silver winning that shirt to keep it out of Josephine’s clutches. If I hadn’t, you’d be walking back starkers.” Cullen gave her an exasperated look, clutching the garment closer around his waist. Felicity almost succeeded in hiding her grin, slipping a little ahead of him to peer around the corner and then beckoning to him once she’d confirmed the next stretch along the battlements was deserted. Cullen hurried after her, bare feet padding quietly on the stone. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Felicity caught hold of his arm and pulled him behind her as the silhouette of a late night patrol came into view. She stifled another giggle as his forehead thunked against the back of her shoulder in a combination of resignation and annoyance. Even though she didn’t make a sound, he could tell she was trying not to laugh, and he prodded her in the back with his finger. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“This isn’t funny!” he hissed in her ear.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh, it definitely is,” she whispered back. He huffed at her but fell silent when she gestured him back. They waited inside a darkened doorway while the guard made her way along - moving agonizingly slowly, far too alert than anyone had a right to be at this hour. Felicity glanced around once more, then tagged his arm. “Okay, go, go, go!” </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>They crossed the last open stretch across the battlements to his office at a run. Felicity flattened her back against the wall - a useless gesture with the moon high above. Cullen balked, comically wide-eyed. “My keys are in my pants!”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>It took every scrap of self control she had to swallow her bubble of laughter before it escaped. She pulled out her lockpicks and knelt in front of the door, fumbling once or twice as her shoulders shook with suppressed mirth, Cullen fidgeting anxiously behind her. The lock sprang open and the door opened with a creak. Felicity didn’t have time to rise before Cullen slipped past her. She scrambled up, ran in after him and slammed the door behind her, collapsing back against it, laughing helplessly. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“I suppose I should be concerned at how easily you broke in,” Cullen said dryly, speaking over her, “but circumstances being what they are, I’m simply relieved.” He shook his head. “And I have learned never to bet against Josephine again.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh, come on,” Felicity said, wiping tears of mirth from her eyes. “You had fun tonight, admit it!”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Even in the dark room, the faint moonlight coming through the windows was enough for her to see that his aggrieved expression hadn’t completely faded, but the telltale tuck at the corner of his mouth betrayed his fight to hide his amusement. “I could have done without losing my clothes,” he conceded grudgingly, “but you’re right. I’m glad Varric asked me to join. Surprised, but glad. Although I dread to think that this will end up in one of his novels.” </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>She started giggling again. “Nobody would ever believe you wagered your knickers! </span>
  <em>
    <span>I</span>
  </em>
  <span> can hardly believe it, and I was there!”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“I had a good hand!” he insisted.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“You really did.” </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“I was </span>
  <em>
    <span>sure </span>
  </em>
  <span>I’d win everything back.” </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Felicity moved to stand in front of him, cupping his face in her hands to kiss the pout away from the corner of his mouth. “And playing against anybody else, you would have.” She gently pinched his cheeks. “Who knew you could be so stubborn?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Cullen finally laughed in spite of himself. “I’m not sure it’s one of my better qualities. But at least there was someone to rescue me from my own folly. I have it on good authority that I owe you a thank you.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Two now, I think,” Felicity said pertly, letting go of him to clasp her hands behind her back. “I </span>
  <em>
    <span>did</span>
  </em>
  <span> save you a long, cold walk to beg your keys from Josephine.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>He chuckled. “Yes, well...never let it be said I don’t pay my debts.” He lowered his head to give her a brief kiss. “That is for breaking into my office.” He kissed her again. “And that is for preserving the last remaining shreds of my dignity.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“And sorely disappointing Dorian.” She winked. “He doesn’t know what he’s missing.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Maker’s breath...” Cullen ducked his head and scrubbed his face with his free hand. She couldn’t see his blush in the dim light, but she knew his expressions and she grinned, lifting up on her toes to kiss his flushed cheek.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>She patted his arm, waving him toward the ladder. “Go on, find yourself some pants.” </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Cullen started up the ladder one-handed, keeping his shirt firmly around his waist with the other. Felicity moved to stand at the foot of the ladder. “It’s just me, you know. You don’t </span>
  <em>
    <span>have</span>
  </em>
  <span> to keep holding that shirt up.” Cullen paused halfway up and looked down to see her watching from below, grinning shamelessly up at him. He smirked and tossed the shirt down onto her head. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>By the time Felicity pulled the shirt off her face, he’d disappeared into his loft. Looping the garment around her shoulders, she followed after him. Moonlight slanted in through the vines and broken slats in the roof, dappling his back as he rummaged in his trunk and pulled on a pair of loose trousers.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Better now?” Felicity asked.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Less drafty, at any rate,” he answered dryly.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>She snorted. “Yes, we all know how much you hate drafts.” She gave the roof a pointed look. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Cullen rolled his eyes, but his smile was soft as he reached for her hand. “Will you stay?” </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>She interlaced her fingers with his. “Well, there </span>
  <em>
    <span>is</span>
  </em>
  <span> a hole in the ceiling…” She laughed when he tugged her closer. “...But I should be able to keep warm.” Cullen gave her one of his sleep shirts, too large for her but one of her favorites to borrow because it was warm and soft. Felicity slipped under the covers and curled up with him, letting him loose her hair and thread his fingers through it. She draped her arm across his stomach and gave him a squeeze, pressing a smiling kiss against his stubbled jaw. “Sleep well.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>He held her close and kissed her brow. “I’m sure I will.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>The title is borrowed from a line in the book "The Rook" by Daniel O'Malley, which is a book I highly recommend reading :3</p></blockquote></div></div>
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